Harri - Week 10

How does Buffy deconstruct traditional literary notions of good and evil?

With its supernatural characters and mythology Buffy is all about good versus bad, the yin/yang, dark/light context. The battle before ‘man’ between good and evil has existed in many mediums since before the beginning of time (sounds cliché right), but it’s true! Can you can read and see this is many novels, movies, journals, articles and even the Holy Bible. Although good usually triumphs and wins the battle as anticipated, how has ‘Buffy the Vampire Slayer’ deconstructed and expose the hidden contradictions or assumptions of ‘good and evil’? A cult TV like Buffy the narratives are basis on good vs. evil, this is to produce characters that cannot be predicated by the viewers and audience. As Braun (2000) describes, that characters of the ‘good’ side are develop in ‘frightening sinister ways’ i.e Willow who is an outcast at high school, and becomes friends with Buffy, she learns that she has supernatural abilities. This is similar to Buffy herself, in the concept of trying to escape her destiny.

Braun (2000) also goes on to say that the ‘bad guys’ the  ‘evil ones’ are the lost ones. These are the characters with many issues and ‘selfless motivations’, and that likely characters have a change of heart and become good, and if not the good go bad. Example, Angel who we see is Buffy’s love interest and a helpful character in many of her battles, but when they have fallen deeply in love Angel’s curse comes back to hit him, and he is back to his normal no-soul vampire self. However Braun (2000) suggests that the important theme of Buffy is that we all have the capacity of being evil.

How do you think Buffy has influenced the contemporary vampire drama “True Blood” and the “Twilight” series of novels and films?

What do I think? Yes, definitely Buffy has influenced these cotemporary vampire dramas. And what evidence to I do to prove this, well according to O’Leary (2010) Buffy the Vampire Slayer became one of the most influential television shows of the past two decades, made stars of its young cast, and basically invented the TV genre of urban fantasy. Buffy is known for combining fantasy with horror as well the main romance with high school angst which many films have adapted i.e. Twilight -the whole relationship of Edward and Bella, and Buffy with Angel. O’Leary (2010) implies that Buffy wasn’t the first to mix genre but because of the show’s popularity it was easy for both fantasy and horror to get along.

Another reason why Buffy has influenced the likes of ‘True Blood’ and ‘Twilight’ is the characters. Sookie who has telepathic abilities but carries it around like a burden, is almost like the character Willow in Buffy. Also the whole concept of the ‘vampire love interest’ of humans, make its seem like males can only be the vampire while the human is always the female and leading role, as Buffy has had bigger influences on the matter or the strong female lead on TV.